Renewed Continuance
by elizabethstarr
Summary: Hermione's thought to be dead, what happens when she's not? Will her friends accept her reappearance? What happens when she befriends a group of Slytherins? Rated M for later chapters. Summary sucks, just read it! Hahah
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Notes: I do not own the world of Harry Potter, JK Rowling does. I do own this plot though and it doesn't exactly follow the DH and a couple random characters and names. Please RR! Thank you Loves.**

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

A small framed female sat cross-legged in front of a full length mirror, a mildly pained expression on her features. Her hair fell in messy ebony waves to the middle of her back, her skin held a lovely tan, her lips were full and rosy red. The only thing that remained of her former facial features were her eyes, they were the same mocha color, that blazed with her emotions, revealing the fire burning inside her, they remained the windows to her soul. She glanced at the old clock that sat in the corner of her flat, she had thirty minutes until she had to be at Kings Cross Station, and forty until the train made its way from the station, her stomach filled once again with butterflies and did flips. She didn't know if she was ready to face her school mates quite yet.

During her time on the run with Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley they'd been captured. The other two got away and saved the wizarding world from Voldemort. The dark wizard finally falling to Harry's hand a little over four months ago but she'd never escaped. The Death Eaters kept her alive, torturing her, bringing her to the brink of death time and time again all in hopes that the other two legs of the Golden Trio would come back and rescue the third. Hermione had hoped they wouldn't for fear of them getting caught. Finally though, months later all of the Death Eaters had abandoned their posts at the Malfoy Manor in order to lay siege on Hogwarts, giving Hermione the chance to escape.

She had gone directly into hiding, not knowing what the outcome of that battle would be, not knowing if she would have to finish Voldemort off herself if her friends and loved ones did not manage to. She'd managed to find her wand and apparate to France, despite her weakened state and had hidden in an old abandoned barn for two months, regaining her strength and having heard the results of the battle, she moved back to England and bought her own flat above Flourish and Blotts where she'd gotten a job in order to keep up. Everyone around her thought her dead and instead of proving them wrong she changed her appearance and name and thought it would work that is, until a week ago when she'd received her Hogwarts letter and Head Girl badge. She had panicked wondering how McGonagall had discovered her alive but she knew better than to question the older witch. Instead, she owled her and asked her to keep the news silent until she was ready to rejoin her friends, to which she complied, not telling a soul that the Granger girl was alive and in Diagon Alley none the less. The fiery girl had gotten all of her supplies from the alley below her flat just as she had every year only it was the first year since she was eleven that she'd done it without her friends, and now here today was, the day she'd see them again, the day they'd either welcome her or shun her.

She was scared, not only had she permanently changed her appearance but the months upon months of torture and being hand in hand with death repeatedly had changed her personality. She wasn't the same girl she once was, her temper was worse than Ron's ever could be, she was mouthy and, she was passionate about everything. She shied away from emotional attachment to people around her, constantly outdoors and soaking up sunshine and, she'd picked up smoking. She dressed differently now too, her clothes revealing the wonderful figure no one ever realized she had, her breasts full 32Ds, her waist was slender, her bum perfectly apple shaped, leading into small, toned and tanned legs. She was happy with her appearance and was tired of hiding it, she'd grown up and wanted people to know it. She didn't know how her former friends would react to her anymore, it scared her but she was excited to see them again. Her chocolate gaze landed on the clock, fifteen minutes left, she rose to her feet and changed her clothes quickly shrinking down her trunk and sticking it in her pocket. She checked her appearance in the mirror one last time, giving her reflection a satisfied smirk. The skirt she wore was form fitting and only reached the upper middle portion of her thigh, it was a dark jean material with faded areas, her shirt was a crimson short sleeved shirt with a neckline that plunged low, revealing the upper curves of her breasts, it hugged her tightly, her feet adorned with matching crimson strappy high heeled sandals that sparkled when the sun hit them, with a final and sharp nod she apparated out of the flat and into a dark alleyway outside of the train station.

Hermione glanced around, pushing her way through the swarms of people and toward the barrier between platforms 9 and 10, she made sure no one was watching and casually leaned against the barrier, melting into it and coming out on the other side into a sea of different people, many of which were boarding the scarlet steam engine labeled Hogwarts Express, she smiled and swiveled her head around, scanning for her friends, half way through her scan someone ran into her back, causing her to stumble in her heels, almost falling.

"Watch it!" She snarled, whirling around to face the putz that hit her, only to come face to face with Fred and George Weasley, both of their mouths hanging open as they gaped at her.

"Oi! Idiots, move it!" Ron Weasley's voice came from behind the twins before he, Harry, Ginny and Mrs. Weasley stepped around them, their gazes all landing on Hermione and she smiled at them all. They in return just stared, their expressions similar to the twins', Mrs. Weasley was the first to recover.

"Boys, did you apologize for nearly knocking this poor dear over?" Mrs. Weasley scolded the twins and they both stuttered hasty apologies, their cheeks a shade of red that almost matched their hair, the others chuckled at them, having recovered from the girl in front of them's appearance.

"It's okay Fred and George, it's not like you haven't done it before," she teased the two, everyone's expressions quickly turning into one of confusion and suspicion.

"I think we would remember"

"If we'd ever ran over someone"

"As stunning as yourself," the twins finished together, and the others just stared, she the unknown female laughed softly, the sound familiar to each of them but they couldn't quite place it, it was different some how. She turned to the others and greeted them.

"Hello Harry, Ron, Ginny, Mrs. Weasley, I've missed you all," she spoke, her voice soft and holding uncertainty, a fire burning in her mocha gaze, wordlessly begging them to recognize her. None of them seemed to, and so without another word she turned around and walked off toward the train. She would tell them later, she wanted to see their reactions away from the twins and the Weasley matriarch, but that didn't stop her from having a heavy heart as she walked away from the group, leaving them all staring after her with puzzled expressions on their faces.

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><p>"Who was that?" the twins turned to their mum and the others, all of them wearing matching expressions of confusion, as they watched the mysterious yet familiar female walk away from them. Ron and Ginny shook their heads, Harry clenched his jaw, hope burning in his eyes, he had a feeling he knew but he was almost positive that it couldn't be her, could it? She was dead after all. Mrs. Weasley shuffled them over to the train with a shrug of her shoulders.<p>

"You guys can discuss it on the train and owl us when you find out. Fred, George say goodbye!" she said, shoving the three students onto the train, they all said their farewells before heading into the hall ad finding and empty compartment where they hung out the window waving as the train whistle blew loudly. Mrs. Weasley waved in return, tears streaming down her cheeks, saying farewell to her children as they left for school each year never got easier as she'd expected, if anything it got harder and harder, but she knew they'd be safe this year, the war finally being over. Fred and George wrapped their arms around their mum and led her back to the barrier and home as the steam engine whipped out of sight.

Ron, Harry and Ginny all turned to look at each other as soon as their were settled into their seats, Harry's arm wrapped easily around Ginny's shoulders. They stayed quiet for a few minutes before their compartment door slid open and Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom walked in and sat down with them, they exchanged quick greetings with Neville, Luna remained quiet, in her own little world, a soft and comfortable silence settled among them.

"Did you see Hermione? She was extremely upset when I saw her." Luna's dreamy voice broke the silence after a few moments, and the others turned to her enraged, they all started talking at once, but Harry shouted at them to shut up, they all fell silent.

"Luna, what are you talking about? Hermione is dead.." his voice was soft and trembling, his emerald eyes shining with unshed tears, Luna turned to look at him, her earrings poking out of her blonde waves, her big blue eyes sparkling as she shook her head. The others were quiet but their expressions were angry and upset.

"I saw her just a few minutes ago.. I didn't greet her, I thought she was on her way here to meet up with you lot," Ginny's eyebrows furrowed in confusion at her Ravenclaw friend, her own blue eyes narrowed slightly, her lips turned down into a frown.

"Luna, are you feeling all right?" the red headed girl reached across and set her hand on the blonde's forehead, checking for a fever, finding nothing she pulled her hand back and set it in her lap, the boys were all just staring at the two girls, their expressions blank but their eyes burning with different emotions. Luna shook her head slightly at her friends' reactions, a soft bell like laugh leaving her lips.

"I'm feeling fine, a little hurt that you don't believe me, but fine," Luna said, her expression clouding slightly.

"Luna, Hermione is gone.." they all spoke in unison and Luna shook her head angrily, her blue eyes flashing dangerously.

"No! She's not! I'm telling you I saw her!" Luna jumped out of her seat and stormed out of the compartment, she slammed the door behind her, leaving the four of them in stunned silence.

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><p>Hermione navigated the train, smirking at the people who gaped at her. She pushed through the corridors of the train, trying to avoid stepping on someone's foot with her heels, she was getting irritated that people were moving so slowly. Her feet were killing her, she should have known better than to wear heels. Her breath escaped her rosy lips in an angry huff and she turned to the nearest compartment, gazing inside, seeing a group of Slytherins she usually avoided and two open seats, she debated with herself over whether she wanted to deal with them or with the crowds of people, she voted the Slytherins, and slid open their compartment door and stepped easily inside, shutting it behind her. Once she turned to look at the group, they were all staring at her, their mouths hanging open.<p>

"Close your mouths before you catch flies," she spoke softly, smirking. They quickly complied, their expressions mildly guilty having been caught staring. Her mocha gaze fell on each of them in turn. Draco Malfoy was the one she'd seen most recently, just a couple nights before she'd escaped, he'd secretly brought her food whenever he could sneak down into the dungeons of the manor undetected, during that time he had looked unhealthy, he was looking better now though. His platinum hair was as perfectly styled as ever, his grey eyes holding something akin to warmth, he looked to be a healthier weight, and color was toning his pale skin again. Her gaze fell next on Theodore Nott, his raven hair long and tousled, his skin pale and his brown eyes warm, he smiled at her, a slight blush creeping into his cheeks under her stare, next her gaze turned to Alexander Dolohov, the boy's auburn hair was short but still visible, it laid neatly on top of his head, his eyes were a boring hazel but his smile was brilliant enough to make up for them, his cheeks were slightly fuller than the others' but he was no where near over weight. The last of them, Blaise Zabini, his eyes a brilliant indigo stuck out against his olive toned skin, his hair was a couple shades darker than Nott's but had a slight red tint when the light hit it, it was a bit shorter than Nott's too but laid on his head in an organized mess, his lips were full and pulled up into a smile, revealing perfectly straight and white teeth.

She remembered these boys from previous years, none of them had ever tormented and taunted her like Draco, they'd merely just teased her yet, they hadn't done anything to stop him either but she was a big girl now. She needed to put her petty grudges behind her and embrace any potential friendships but she didn't want to, she wanted to be able to hate this group of boys with every fiber in her being, but they weren't the ones that had used the cruciatus curse on her repeatedly, they weren't the ones who had nearly driven her insane nor were they the ones that had made her brush with death, Malfoy hadn't even done anything like that, she could forgive them if she tried.

"Mind if I join you?" she asked, indicating to one of the open seats with her long, slender fingers, the four boys nodded their consent and she sat, crossing her legs, her skirt riding up ever so slightly more, a soft, happy sigh left her lips, finally getting off her feet, her heels were causing them agony but beauty is pain, she grimaced inwardly at herself.

"I'm Draco Malfoy. These lads are Theo Nott, Alex Dolohov, and Blaise Zabini, are you new?" Malfoy's voice still had his normal arrogant drawl to it, but she chose to ignore it, and she nodded to each boy in turn, a smirk on her lips, she shook her head slightly.

"I'm not new per se.. But I am a different person than I used to be.." her voice trailed off, and the boys nodded in understanding.

"The same goes for us, we're starting anew, changing our ways, hoping to be accepted," Theo's expression was cheery but his voice held a hint of sorrow, Hermione just raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow, and they all shrugged their shoulders in response.

"So, what's your name?" Alex asked. Hermione paled slightly, not sure whether or not she should tell them who she was just yet, what if they got angry or upset? Oh well, too late now. She couldn't exactly get up and walk away and she didn't want to lie but, she would have some fun with it first.

"Oh, you don't recognize me?" she giggled softly, chewing on her bottom lip, and the boys shook their heads, their brows furrowing slightly. Of course, she'd expected this answer, "Oh, I'm disappointed!"

"Should we recognize you?" Malfoy asked incredulous, his blonde eyebrows raised as she chuckled softly.

"I only lived in your house for 7 months" she replied, smirking, the three others gaped at their Slyhtherin Prince.

"You had HER living in your house and you don't remember?" Zabini's eyes were wide with shock, Nott and Dolohov just sat staring open mouthed at him as his expression turned into one of concentration.

"No, it couldn't be…" his voice was soft as he stared at the female before him, her gray eyes piercing into hers, her smirk still on her lips. "You can't be her…"

"Be who?" Theo piped, earning nods from the other two.

"But she's dead! You can't be!"

"Who's dead Mate?" Blaise asked, his indigo gaze shifting between this strange girl and his best mate, concern etched into his features. The girl was merely staring at Draco. Blaise focused on her, her eyes and that giggle of hers were both hauntingly familiar, he sifted through memories, trying to place them.

"You are, aren't you? Merlin, how are you alive?" Hermione just shrugged, the three onlookers incredibly impatient at this point were scowling at the pair, Blaise's expression slowly changed from the scowl to a look of astonishment, his indigo eyes were boring into Hermione's mocha ones now, he hadn't heard that soft giggle or seen those eyes in well over a year, he'd never thought he'd see them again, never thought he'd be lucky enough to hear her voice or her laugh ever. Granted, her voice was different, it was more husky, and held a slightly deeper tone than it used to, but he was sure it was her now.

"WHO?" Theo and Alex shouted at the same time, Draco and Hermione opened their mouths to answer but were beat to it by the Italian Slytherin.

"Hermione Granger"


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes: Thank you guys for the alerts and everything on this story so far. I'm glad you like it! I added some things to the last chapter since the very first posting, just subtle details. I do not own the world of Harry Potter! RR Please and thank you Loves. Mwah Mwah!**

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><p><strong>Chapter Two<strong>

Blaise Zabini's answer left everyone in the compartment in a state of shock, Hermione and Malfoy had no idea how he'd recognized her, they hadn't ever been close or conversed very often in their previous years. Nott and Dolohov just sat staring, their gazes shifting between the three, waiting for the female to confirm or deny the claim. The female cleared her head and she turned her mocha gaze to look at Blaise full on, a soft smile on her rosy lips, her eyes burning with too many emotions for him to decipher just one. She nodded her head, her ebony waves bouncing slightly with the movement.

"No way," the two confused boys whispered, and Hermione turned to them, an almost impish grin on her features.

"Ask me anything, I'll prove it." She leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest, waiting for the storm of questions that she could see the four of them piling together in their minds.

"What portrait guards the Gryffindor Common Room?" Dolohov.

"What portrait took it's place for a part of a term a few yeas ago and why?" Zabini.

"Where does the Weasel clan live?" Nott.

"Where's the dungeon in Malfoy Manor?" Malfoy's question caused her to grimace slightly, she pushed a flood of painful memories back and started to answer the questions, her voice certain.

"The Fat Lady. The portrait of Sir Cadogan took her place for a while during our third year because Sirius Black broke in and slashed her portrait trying to get to Peter Pettigrew who was also known as Scabbers, Ronald's rat. The Weasley family lives in The Burrow, a few miles from the Diggory family's home. As for the dungeons in Malfoy Manor, the entrance is in the drawing room, you go straight through the front door, the third door on the right, there's huge portrait of the manor that slides to the side and a staircase appears behind a door made out of bars, and those stairs lead down into the dungeons." She clenched her jaw tightly, fighting back the memories still. The boys' expressions were wary, they didn't know why she was here, they knew that if she wanted to she could easily take on all of them, and she'd hardly break a sweat.

"What do you want with us?" Malfoy's voice shook slightly at the beginning but he quickly masked it to sound certain and strong, Hermione raised her eyebrows slightly, and she shook her head.

"Are you serious? If I wanted to hex you or kill you I would have done so before you figured out who I am," she chuckled, her expression one of amusement and all of the boys stiffened further, Zabini on the other hand leaned forward slightly, his indigo eyes bright.

"Why didn't you?" His voice was a husky whisper and it nearly made Hermione shiver as chills ran up and down her spine, she straightened up her posture and raised her eyebrows.

"Why? Because you were not the ones who tortured me, you are not the ones who starved me, not the ones who nearly killed me, not the ones who almost drove me insane. I will not hold you accountable for the actions of your fathers. Sure, you all taunted me and teased me through out previous years but we are grown up now. Malfoy here, even risked his life to bring me food and water whenever he could get away with it while I was help captive in his home. I have learned to put childish and petty arguments behind me and I'm sure you have too. The war is over! Why should we continue to let it dictate our lives and ruin potential friendships when it's destroyed so many already? We shouldn't. None of you actually believed in the things that your fathers shoved down your throats from the moment you were born, none of you willingly wanted to become DeathEaters, none of you are murderers. I forgive you for the hell you put me through when we were younger, it doesn't matter anymore, what matters is the future of our world." Hermione finished, the four boys' eyes were locked on her, shock and awe written in their features. They would never get used to this fiery girl before them, she had so much passion and she willingly let it show, even for a Gryffindor it was a brave move.

"I really am sorry Granger," Malfoy looked at her former brunette and she tilted her head to the side, her mocha gaze locking with his silver one and she flashed him a quick smile.

"I know Malfoy, if you weren't then you wouldn't have risked your life so many times just to bring me food," she shrugged her small shoulders.

"So, are you HeadGirl?" Nott asked, everyone knew that Hermione Granger was at the top of their class and had been aspiring to be HeadGirl, she was one for rules, none of them knew who else it would be if not Granger, especially seeing as she was alive and well.

"Yes, I am. I had thought the entire population to believe me long gone until my letter came, I suppose I should have known better, in Hogwarts: A History it says that one cannot fool the system by merely changing appearance or location, Harry's uncle tried to run away only to be bombarded with more and more letters…" Hermione stopped talking, realizing she was rambling, the four boys were staring at her with amused expressions, each of them had an eyebrow raised and a smirk pulling their lips up. Her cheeks flooded with color but she held her head high and her tone turned haughty, "Shut up!"

"We didn't say anything!" Nott protested, holding his hands up with an innocent expression adorning his features and the rest of them laughed, Hermione and Nott joining in, before long the five of them were leaned over clutching their sides and gasping for breath, Merlin it felt good to laugh. The rest of the train ride passed with relative ease, the five of them conversing about what they've done since the war ended.

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><p>Harry was the first to recover from Luna's outburst and hasty exit, he ran a hand through his dark, untidy hair, his emerald eyes still swimming with unshed tears, he turned to look at the other three, and they just stared back, their expressions solemn. Ginny's bottom lip was quivering and Ron was patting her back gently, trying to console his little sister, Neville was slumped back in his seat, a look of near defeat on his face.<p>

"Do you think that, that girl was her…?" Ginny asked quietly, looking from Harry to Ron, her tears over flowing and running silently down her freckled cheeks, she bit her lip to stop it's quivering.

"No way Gin, did you see that girl? She was hot, there's no way that was 'Mione," Ron scoffed, blowing off his little sister's idea and drawing his hand from her back. Ginny scowled at the red head before turning to Harry, he just shrugged his shoulders, and stayed quiet, his emerald gaze locked on hers saying everything he needed to, that he very well thought the mysterious girl might just be their missing best friend.

"What girl?"

"That one girl, she's got black hair, she's wearing heels and a short skirt, red shirt," Ron answered Neville's inquiry, his face taking on a dreamy expression as he remembered the girl they'd encountered at the station. Seeing that Ron wasn't going to say any more Neville turned to look at Harry and Ginny his eyebrows raised slightly and the two of them shrugged their shoulders and sniggered at the red headed male, Harry's arm making it's way back around Ginny's shoulders and stroking her arm in a comforting way.

"You guys think it is?" he whispered, leaning forward in his seat so he was closer to the two, he cast a glance over at Ron who was now staring out the window with his forehead pressed against it, a dazed look and a goofy grin on his face, the other two followed his gaze and sniggered again before replying.

"I don't know, she did seem familiar but we can't jump to conclusions.. If Hermione is at school McGonagall will address it at the feast, she knows how much she meant to everyone.. There's no way she'd keep it a secret," Harry spoke quickly and quietly, periodically glancing at the red headed male through out his whispers to assure that he wasn't paying attention, Neville nodded and leaned back and asked Harry if he'd made Quidditch Captain and quickly jumping into the conversation of Quidditch tryouts with him and Ginny upon finding out he'd made it. Though he, himself wouldn't be trying out he wanted to attend the try outs. The rest of the train ride passed by in upbeat conversation and Ron didn't say a word until the train pulled to a stop at the Hogwarts Station and Harry grabbed his shoulder to get his attention.

"Oi!"

"Shut up Ron! We're here!" Ginny yelled at her brother and the red head scowled at his younger sister. The three of them and Neville fought their way through the masses and onto the platform, immediately spotting their Care of Magical Creatures professor and long time friend, not to mention half giant, Hagrid. Surely, as a teacher he'd know if the girl they'd seen was Hermione, and if she was indeed alive and attending Hogwarts. They moved through the crowd, pushing until they stood before the man, all grinning up at him.

" 'Ey you lot! What ye' been up ter? It's good ter see ye! Only it's sad ter see ye without 'Ermione.." His booming voice cracked slightly, and the others winced, clearly Hagrid had no idea either, they shuffled slightly, their expressions once again downcast. Maybe, the girl wasn't their Hermione.

"We miss her too Hagrid," Harry spoke first, patting the giant man on the arm. "We'd best be off to catch the carriages, we'll see you inside, yeah?" The four, quickly made their way through the crowd and toward the carriages in silence, not wanting to be the first one to say what every one of them was thinking. Ron was glancing around, in hopes to catch sight of the girl from the station and almost immediately spotted her, and he tugged hard on Harry's sleeve, almost causing the raven haired boy to fall sideways.

"Look Harry! She's HeadGirl!" Harry turned to look at where his best mate was pointing and sure enough there was the girl and pinned to her shirt was the shiny HeadGirl bade, it seemed to mock them as the light caught it. Harry's heart almost broke, Hermione would have been HeadGirl and now here this girl whom none of them know is wearing that badge and to top matters off she's with Malfoy and his stupid cronies, and Malfoy's wearing the HeadBoy badge. He groaned and turned to Ron who from the look on his face, had just spotted the Slytherins and the badge pinned to Malfoy's chest.

"Could this year get any worse? We don't need Malfoy as HeadBoy.." Neville groaned softly, closing his eyes after they settled into one of the carriages, the others nodded in agreement and rode up to school in silence, leaving each other to their own thoughts.

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><p>Hermione walked with the four Slytherin boys as they made their way through the train and toward the exit. People stopped and stared, some jeered while others quickly ducked back into compartments, avoiding the boys as though they were a plague. Hermione's heart ached for them, she knew what they were going through, she was used to this stuff being a muggleborn, best friends with Harry Potter, and during her fourth year with the rumors that Rita Skeeter spread like wildfire about her through the papers, a small shiver ran up her spine, she shook her head slightly. She had to fix this somehow, she had to get people to see that they weren't their fathers, that the choices these boys once made wasn't because they wanted to do anything, it was because they were forced to or be killed. Hermione's brows knitted together in thought as she absentmindedly climbed into a carriage with the four of them, squeezing herself between the wall and Nott. There had to be something she could do.<p>

The boys muttered amongst themselves while the carriage made its way up the winding path to the school. It didn't surprise her one bit that nearly everyone amongst the older students could now see the Thestrals and many of the younger students and she knew that no matter how hard she wished it, she couldn't undo the past, she couldn't make the ones around her unsee the death and pain they'd witnessed. A soft, nearly inaudible sigh left her lips, and Nott glanced over at the normally fiery girl, wondering what could be troubling her so, concluding that it was probably her nerves about facing her friends, he gently patted her shoulder, and gave her a reassuring grin.

"It'll be all right, you know. They'll be happy to have you back and alive," he told her, and she smiled in return, grateful he didn't know the real worries plaguing her mind. The thoughts of her friends rejecting her hadn't crossed her mind since they left their compartment, though it certainly was something to worry about, she began to chew on her bottom lip, butterflies filling her stomach as the carriage drew closer and closer to the school. The thoughts running through her mind now solely on her friends, wondering if they'd be angry with her for not returning to them immediately, or if they, like Nott said would be happy enough just to see her and be with her that they would let it go. Her shoulders slumped as the carriage came to a halt and the Malfoy and Zabini heirs exited first, the rest of them hopping out close behind. They trudged up the stairs and through the entrance hall in silence, but before departing to their designated tables they each bid the girl good luck and promised to visit her and Malfoy soon, she only nodded mutely in response with small smiles before making her way to the furthest table to the right, thanking the skies that her closest friends were not seated yet.

Harry, Ron, Ginny and, Neville all filed into the Great Hall, now joined by Seamus Finnagin, Dean Thomas, Lavender Brown and Parvarti Patil and turned to make their way to the Gryffindor table but Ron halted immediately, his eyes locking on the female that sat in the seat that Hermione Granger usually occupied. The red head grabbed Harry and Ginny and motioned, both of them just shrugged.

"We might as well introduce ourselves.." Neville piped up, his eyes not leaving the dark haired female, Seamus and Dean agreed, nodding vigorously. Lavender and Parvarti sent the girl glares, who did she think she was looking like that?

"She already knew our names.." Ginny replied, her tone mildly annoyed at the males' responses to this new comer, yet she maintained a level head, and a small hope harbored in her that this girl might be Hermione, though logically, the chances were slim. The eight of them made their way over to the table and sat down in their normal spots. Ginny on one side of the female, Parvarti and Lavender on the other, and the boys directly across from them.

"Hello, I'm Dean Thomas" he said reaching diagonally across the table to shake hands with the female, she took his hand and shook it, smiling up at the boy she'd know since she was 11, after that everyone took turns introducing themselves and Hermione just nodded, but when introductions came to her, McGonagall led in the first years and began the sorting, a small sigh of relief left her, she'd get to put it off just a little while longer. The sorting went by quickly, and fairly uneventfully, each house gaining around the same number of students. Though, she did notice that whenever a new Slytherin came into being, the other three tables fell silent and the only cheers came from their table. The cheers themselves were enthusiastic enough, but the expressions on the Slytherins' faces worried her, each and every one was something akin to pity, and apologetic, causing her own lips to turn down into a frown, McGonagall's expression mirroring her own as the silence once again took the room.

"Now that we've been sorted, I have a few announcements. The Forbidden Forest is of course forbidden, EXCEPT to sixth and seventh years. The mandatory uniforms are to be worn by fourth years and under, fifth, sixth and seventh you may choose whatever you wish to wear but do keep in mind, it must be appropriate. Our HeadBoy and HeadGirl this year are seventh year Slytherin, Draco Malfoy and seventh year Gryffindor, Hermione Granger. Thank you. Tuck in!" McGonagall's announcements finished and while the food appeared, no one spoke or moved, their eyes all staring at the Head Mistress like she'd lost her marbles, Hermione was dead, how could she be HeadGirl? The only people who started to pile their plates were the four Slytherin boys she'd sat with on the train. McGonagall just smiled a twinkle in her eyes that resembled the one their former Head Master got when he was up to something, and began filling her own plate with food.

"Excuse me, Professor McGonagall, how is she going to be HeadGirl if she's uhm… Dead?" Hannah Abbott's voice carried from the Hufflepuff table, her tone clearly etched with disappointment, she'd wanted the position, causing the four Slytherins to snigger quietly and McGonagall's smile grew.

"My Dear, look over at the Gryffindor table and tell me whether or not you see Miss Granger," Hannah and everyone else in the Great Hall did as the Head Mistress said, and their gazes fell onto an ebony haired female with the HeadGirl badge pinned to her chest, and she in response flushed a dark red and raised her hand, wiggling her fingers at everyone.

"Hey guys," her voice, though barely above a squeak carried through the hall as if she'd yelled it. Loud noise erupted and filled the once silent hall, people getting up from their tables and rushing over to the Gryffindor table.


End file.
